Volatile Valley

A youth was killed in Kralpora, Kupwara on Tuesday afternoon when some youth tried to torch an Army bunker in the vicinity. Reports said that several other youth have also sustained bullet injuries. With this fresh killing the death toll has mounted to 32. Kashmir continues to be on boil as the death toll in the ongoing protests in the Valley triggered by killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani rose to 32 by this evening when this editorial was filed. The youth continued to fought pitched battles with police and paramilitary forces across the Valley and attacked Air Force base in Pulwama, police stations and police posts. A woman identified as Yasmeena of Damhal Hanjipora area of Kulgam district in south Kashmir, who had sustained critical bullet injuries yesterday in police action, succumbed to injuries at SMHS hospital today. Besides, eight other people, who had sustained injuries in police and paramilitary forces firing, also succumbed to injuries today.
Massive protests rocked almost all parts of the valley, where forces used force to quell the mourners. The curfew remained in force in four districts of South Kashmir, parts of uptown and downtown Srinagar and other parts of the Valley. In Srinagar city, roads continue to remain deserted and youth clashed with police and CRPF men at Maisuma, Amira Kadal, HMT, Nowgam, Maharaja Bazar, Batamaloo, Rambagh, Chanapora, Baghi Mehtab, Hyderpora, Humhama, Ompora, Barzulla, Budgam, old city areas of Nawpora, Rainawari, Nowhatta, Pantha Chowk, and other areas. The entire Kashmir is seething with rage as people have drawn out in large numbers on the roads to protest the killing of the HM commander, Burhan Wani, in an encounter with the forces on Friday evening and killing of civilians in security men’s firing. As far as the Tral, the home town of Burhan goes; it continued to remain on boil as fresh firing incident by cops was reported from the area today. The police opened fire at protestors at Lidyar (Tral) injuring 16 people. The injured were shifted to a local hospital.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra reviewed the security situation of the Valley a day earlier. However ironically, the government seems to be missing on the ground. There are only deaths and relief from the government. Shops, offices, business establishments and petrol pumps remained shut for third consecutive day today while public transport was completely off the roads. Mobile internet services also remained suspended in the Valley. The separatist leaders including Hurriyat (G) Chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Nayeem, Khan, Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai and others continue to remain under house arrest.
Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary has briefed the envoys of the UN Security Council over the protests in the Kashmir Valley, accusing Indian security forces of violating human rights. Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry conveyed this to ambassadors of China, France, Russia, Britain and the US and expressed concern over the “killings of civilians and violation of their fundamental human rights”. Due to the use of force against civilians demonstrating against “the killing of (militant commander) Burhan Wani, more than 30 innocent people have lost their lives and over 350 injured so far”, a statement from the Foreign Office quoted Chaudhary as saying. The statement said India should conduct a fair and transparent inquiry against individuals responsible for these killings. Pakistan urged the international community to take notice of the gravity of the situation in the Kashmir Valley and called on India to implement UN Security Council resolutions.